Jacob’s Well
Back Cover Description:
Dark secrets swirl around the small coastal town of Weyport as Mary-Jean Foley discovers just how far she would go to protect her son.
Even with a new sheriff in town. Even when her husband doesn’t agree. Even when she thinks God isn’t looking.
But how far is too far and at what cost?
As newly appointed small-town Sheriff Angus Reid settles into Weyport, it doesn’t take him long to discover just how corrupt his new town is. With a desk full of suspicious open cases and too much to prove, he is determined to rid his town of crime and win the hearts of his people.
But when two teenagers suddenly go missing, it lays bare sinister secrets and emotional ties that threaten to derail his investigation.
And as the case untangles, the secrets buried deep within the coastal borders of the tight-knit community slowly bubble to the surface.
Determined to find justice for the missing boys and their families, he races against the clock to find them. Unbeknownst of the dark forces that rage against him.
Then he gets a call that a body has been found…
Jacob's Well is a compelling tale of mystery, suspense, and faith. With twists at every turn, this gripping novel keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. Can Sheriff Reid unravel the mystery and save Jacob before it’s too late?
Join Sheriff Angus Reid in a suspenseful journey through faith, fear, and redemption. Perfect for readers who crave a thrilling mystery wrapped in Christian values and small-town intrigue.
Lee’s Preview: A novice sheriff and a desperate mother are on the case to find her missing son.
What I Liked:
This book has a great atmosphere. I can really feel the beach and nearby lake locations where these characters call home. The water and beach are almost characters themselves, as the location is not just a setting but the lived-in world of MJ and Angus. There is a nice selection of supporting characters of Weyport that makes it feel real, like the nosy older neighbor and the cagy marina captain who rebuffs the sheriff because he’s questioning a system that has not changed in years.
Sheriff Angus Reid is a wonderfully created protagonist. He deeply feels protective of his new town and wants to investigate the truth, not satisfied with the initial answers given to him, but he will get to the bottom of what really happened to Jacob and his friend Aaron. He knows how to handle both that nosy older neighbor and the cagy marina captain, and helps MJ find her son in the midst of terrible circumstances. I want to read more Angus Reid stories because he’s a strong, likable protagonist.
Mary Jane Foley is a determined mother who, even when presented with undeniable evidence of her son’s illegal actions, will stop at nothing to protect him and bring him home. While her actions may not always be morally right, not for a second does her love and devotion for Jacob waver, and if left alone, she would have become a one-woman army unafraid to take desperate action if necessary. She is on her second marriage after her husband, and on the surface has a picture-perfect marriage - but after Jacob goes missing, has to confront the facade that her husband had created.
Jacob is a young man, like many, who starts to hide secrets from his parents while pretending everything is going great. He does care about his family, but the desire not to be a burden on them coupled with the thrill of the illegal activity leads him down a incresingly dangerous road he finds difficult to escape from.
Other well-written supporting characters include Teddy, the sweet, mentally handicapped son of Joe, MJ’s second husband, who becomes the unwitting helper in keeping Jacob’s secret life. Plus, there’s Ray, the hard-drinking father of Aaron, the other missing son, who nevertheless genuinely cares about his son and wants him to come home.
The action starts to ramp up towards the second half to the last third of the book, with great, shocking twists and reveals, and a satisfying resolution to the central danger.
And while I’m sure Urcelia Teixeira did not create the cover herself, I found it so much more engaging than the more bland covers of a pretty male or female protagonist against a nondescript background. I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but an effectively made cover does help the book stand out!
What I didn’t like:
Some of the plot threads set up weren’t given adequate resolution at the end of the novel. To reveal what they are would spoil the ending, but as a result, the reader is left wanting more as the story winds down.
In addition, the epilogue was placed after a Q&A with the author, which was distracting to me. Finally, five chapters of the next book were included at the very end of the book, making the end of the storyline of book 1 come early as a disappointing surprise. I personally wished there were more of Jacob’s Well than five chapters of Book 2. So one of my biggest complaints was not the story itself but the organization at the end of the book.
While the first chapter does begin at an interesting point (Jacob leaves for the first time on his illegal activity with his friend Aaron), the story takes a while to gel and get moving until Jacob disappears. Still, the opening chapters are well done, and I was invested in the characters really quickly.
Overall Review: With engaging, determined characters, this first Angus Reid mystery book overall is a great Christian novel for fans of suspense thrillers!
Content Warning: PG-13 for violence, drug references, one reference to bodily functions, and depictions of alcoholism.
